Laundry drier



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LAUNDRY DRIER Filed Aug. 5, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 6Q (E 49:1 T 55 .91INVENTOR.

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J. W. DICKEY LAUNDRY DRIER July 20, 1948.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 5, 1944 mmvnm dohnfw.

A ORNE Y Patented July 20, 1948 LAUNDRY DRIER John W. Dickey, Elmira, N.Y., asslnor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, South Bend, Ind., acorporation of Delaware Application August 5, 1944, Serial No. 548,209

3 Claims. (CL 3H4) The present invention relates to a laundry dryer, andmore particularly to a mechanical unit which is especially suitable fordomestic use.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel laundrydryer which agitates the material to be dried while forcing warm. dryair therethrough so as to remove the moisture evenly and quickly whilefinding the material and preventing matting of the fibers.

It is another object to provide such a device in which the material tobe dried is reciprocated vertically by a tossing action, while Jets ofair are directed upwardly through the material during the downwardmotion thereof.

It is another object to provide such a device in which the material tobe dried is enclosed in a chamber, the bottom of which is a reciprocableperforated diaphragm, said material cooperating with the openings in thediaphragm after the manner of check-valves to permit upward flow of airthrough the material but opposing reversal of the flow.

It is another object to provide such a device incorporating valve meansbeneath the diaphragm admitting air during upward movement of thediaphragm and closing during downward movement so as to force the air upthrough the fabric to be dried.

It is another object to provide such a device in which the dryingoperation is automatically stopped when a predetermined reduction in themoisture content of the fabric has been secured.

It is another object to provide such a device in which the end point ofthe drying operation is determined by reference to the temperature ofthe emergent air.

It is another object to provide such a device incorporating means underthe control of the operator for recirculating a portion of the emergentair ln order to further control its temperature and relative humidity.

It is a further object to provide such a device which is 50 arranged asto prevent overloading the power supply by insuring that the means foragitating the material to be dried shall be rendered operative prior toenergization of the heating means for the circulating air.

It is another object to provide such a device incorporating means forsterilizing the fabric. such means being effective to inhibit mildew ofthe material when it is stored in a damp conditlon prior to ironing.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in as phragm and at 2 connection with the accompanyingdrawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of cabinet dryer;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the dryer;

Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective of the actuating means for thediaphragm and valve mechanism; and

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of the various operative elements of thedryer with their electrical circuits and control switches.

In Figs. 1 and 2 there is illustrated a dryer cabinet I providing avertically extending chamber 2, the bottom of which is formed by aperforated diaphragm I which is vertically reciprocable therein so as toact as a piston. The top I of the cabinet is removable either completelyor by a hinged connection if preferred in order to give access to thechamber for charging or removing the material 5 to be dried.

Means for reciprocating the diaphragm 3 in the' chamber 50 as to tossthe material 5 vertically is provided in the form of pairs of links 8.I, a, l pivoted at their upper ends to the diatheir lower ends to pairsof cranks III, II, l2, II, respectively. Cranks ill, ii are fixed on a.cross shaft i4; cranks l2, is are fixed on a similar cross shaft I5 andmeans for rotating the cranks in unison is provided in the form of apair of sprockets l6, l1 rigidly connected to the shafts i4 and i5respectively and arranged to be rotated by a chain is driven from asprocket I! which is actuated by a motor M through a transmission 20.The driving sprocket It may be actuated positively by the transmission,or if desired a resilient connection such as indicated at II in Fig. 3may be employed to smooth out the load on the motor and to increase thetossing action of the diaphragm.

Anti-friction guide means such as rollers 22, 11 are provided forguiding the diaphragm 3 in its vertical movement, and an obturatingmeans is preferably provided for restricting the passage of air by thediaphragm. As here shown this means is in the form of a strip of packingmaterial located in a peripheral channel 25 of the diaphragm and pressedoutwardly against the inner surfaces of the chamber 2 by suitable meanssuch as an undulating strip of elastic material 2| (Pie. 3).

A channel shaped enclosure member 21 is located in the base of thecabinet i so as to form a chamber, housing the motor M and transmission2|. and acting as a conduit for incoming air whereby the motor iscooled, and its heat used to warm the air. The top 26 of this enclosureis provided with parallel slots 29, and a shutter ii is slidably mountedthereon for covering and uncovering these slots thereby constitutingvalve means for controlling the admission of air into the space belowthe diaphragm 3.

Means for actuating the shutter II are provided comprising a lever 32pivoted at II to the base of the cabinet and connected by a link 34 to alug 35 projecting downwardly from said shutter. A spring 36 attached tothe lug 35 and to a fixed anchorage 31 normally tends to move theshutter in a direction to open the valve means, while a cam 33 fixed onthe crank shaft I4 is arranged to engage lever 32 and thereby move theshutter 3| into closed position during the downward movement of thepiston 3. while permitting the shutter to be moved by the spring 36 intoopen position when the piston is raised,

The air to be circulated through the dryer is arranged to enter themotor chamber through a grille 39, and to flow past the damper 4i into aheating chamber 42 partitioned oil from the lower part of the motorchamber by a wall 43 which slants down from the top 26 of the motorchamber. Electrical heating means 44 are mounted in the heatin chamber42 to raise the temperature of the air before its passage through thematerial to be dried.

The emergent air is permitted to leave the chamber 2 through a grilledopening 45 which leads into a flue 46 connecting with the outsideatmosphere through a set of louvers 41, The lower end of the flue 46opens into the heating chamber 42 under the control of the damper 4i,the position of which determines the relative pro portion of fresh airand recirculated air which enters the heating chamber.

According to the present invention, means are provided for stopping theactuation of the dryer when the fabric has been dried to the desireddegree. The operation of this control is based upon the fact that theevaporating of moisture from the fabric lowers the temperature of theair passing therethrough. whereby under reasonably constant conditionsthe temperature of the emergent air is an index of the moisture contentof the material. It is therefore possible to determine the desired endpoint of the drying operation by a controlling device which includes athermostat placed in the exhaust passage from the dryer. the thermostatbeing adjustable in order to predetermine the desired extent of thedrying operatlon. As shown in Fig. 2, a thermostat 4! is located in thestream of emergent air in the flue 46 and is adjustable by a calibratedsetting device 48a to control the operation of the dryer.

Preferably a germicidal lamp 4! is mounted in the top of th chamber 2 insuch a manner as to disinfect the contents and inhibit the mlldewing orthe fabric in those cases in which material may be stored in thecontainer in a damp condition for a considerable length of time prior toironing.

The wiring arrangement of the various elements is shown schematically inFig. 4. As there shown one of the conductors of the power line isgrounded at 52 and the other conductor 63 is connected through a fuse 54to a supply lead 55 A motor M is connected to the supply lead 55 bymeans of lead 56. normall open contacts 51 of a rela 58. and a lead 59.the motor being grounded at El to complete its circuit. The heater 44 isalso energized from the supply lead ed at 66 to complete its circuit.

65 through a manual switch BI, lead 64, and normally open contacts 65 ofrelay 66,

Contacts 61 of thermostat 48 are connected to the supply lead 55 througha resistance unit 68 and are connected by a lead 69 to normally opencontacts ll of relay 58, from whence a wire 12 connects to the rotatingarm 13 of a 3 point control switch I4, a tap 15 being provided toenergize the relay 58 which is grounded at ii. The control switch 14 isprovided with a stop contact 11, a running contact 18 and a startingcontact 19. Starting contact 19 is connected by a lead Hi to theresistor 68. running contact 18 is connected by a lead 82 to the coil ofrelay 66 which is grounded at 83, and the stopping contact 11 isgrounded at 84.

The germicidal lamp 49 is connected to the supply lead 55 through aswitch 85 and is ground- The switch 53 which controls the heatingelement 44 is formed as a two-point switch. the point 31 being used tocontrol the heating unit and the point 88 controlling a convenienceoutlet 89 grounded at ii.

In the operation of the device. starting with the parts in the positionsillustrated in Fig. 4, and the container 2 being charged with material 5to be dried. the arm T3 of switch 14 is moved upward by the operatorpast the contact 18. closure of which is without effect at this time,and then into engagement with the starting contact 19. This completes acircuit from the power lead 53 through fuse 54, supply lead 55, resistor66. lead Bi. contacts l9. l3. and leads i2 and 16 to the coil of relay56 thereby energizing the coil and causing closure of contacts 51 and IIClosure of contacts 57 completes the motor circuit through leads 5B and59 whereb the motor is energized and the diaphragm 3 is thereby causedto reciprocate rapidly and toss the material 5 vertically upward. At thesame time, rotation of the cam 38 causes actuation of the shutter 31 insynchronism with the movement of the diaphragm in such manner as tocause the diaphragm to act as a piston to pump air up through thefabric, In this pumping action the fabric itself co-acts with theopenings in the diaphragm in the manner of check-valves to assist thepumping action. The size of the openings in the diaphragm and the numberof said openings are so related to the diameter and stroke of thediaphragm that adequate pressure will be built up beneath the diaphragmto produce air jets which penetrate the fabric as it falls after thediaphragm in its down stroke and are thus effective to extract themoisture evenly and rapidly from the fabrics After the motor M has beenstarted. the arm I3 of switch I4 is moved back to the running contactHi. This does not deenergize the relay 5! inasmuch as the closure ofcontact ll completes a holding circuit for said relay through thethermostatic contacts 61. Closure of contacts 13, 16

thus causes energization of relay 66 through leads 82, 83, therebyclosing contacts 65 and causing energization of the heater 44. The airentering the chamber 42 is thus preheated in order to increase itseffectiveness in extracting moisture from the fabric to be dried,

The drying operation continues until the moisture content in the fabrichas been reduced to such a point that the temperature ol the emergentair rises to a predetermined degree When this point is reached thethermostatic contacts 61 open thus deenergizing relay 58 which permitscontacts 57 and ll to open thereby stoppin the motor M and deenergizlngheater 44. If it be desired to stop the dryer prior to the opening ofcontacts 61, this may be done by moving the arm 13 of switch 14 onto thestopping point 11. This shortcircuits and deenergizes the relay 58, thusopening the motor and heating circuits, excessive flow of currentthrough the ground connection being prevented by the resistor 69.

It will be noted that the form of control illustrated and describedinsures that the heater M can be energized only after the motor M hasbeen started and is in operation. This avoids the possibility ofoverloading the supply circuit by simultaneously energizing the motorand heater. The switch 63 is also provided for the purpose of avoidingoverloads by rendering available the utility outlet 89 only during thoseperiods when the heater M is not energized. This arrangement preventssimultaneous energization of the heater and any current consuming devicefed by the utility outlet. The germicidal lamp 49 is independentlycontrolled by the switch 95 since it may be desired to energize the lampat times when the dryer is not in operation, and the current drain ofthe lamp is not sufllciently great to render special precautionsnecessary.

The damper ll provides a convenient means for regulating the temperatureor the circulating air, thereby controlling the thoroughness of thedrying operation. The relative humidity of the circulating air is, ofcourse, controlled by the temperature of the air and by the amount ofmoisture extracted from the material. Recirculation of the emergent airallows the heating unit 44 to raise the temperature thereof bysuccessive stages whereby its ability to get moisture from the fabric isincreased to any desired degree. This renders it possible to carry outthe drying operation as thoroughly as desired and at the same timecauses the material to be aerated by air which has been sterilized bythe germicidal lamp so as to render the material substantially sterile.

Although but one embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed in detail, it will be understood that other embodiments arepossible and various changes may be made in the form and arrangement ofthe parts without departing from the spirit oi the invention as definedin the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In a laundry dryer 8. vertical container having a substantiallyuniform cross-section, a perforated piston in the container adapted tosupport the material to be dried. a partition below the piston having amovable shutter therein, means for vertically reciprocating the pistonand means actuated by the reciprocating means for opening the shutterduring the upward movement of the piston and closing the shutter duringthe downward movement thereof so as to pump air up through the materialto be dried.

2. A laundry dryer as set forth in claim 1 including further means forheating the air below the piston, and means including a unitary switchfor controlling the reciprocating and heating means, said switch beingarranged to prevent energization of the heating means except when thereciprocating means is in operation.

3. A laundry dryer as set forth in claim 1 including further means forheating the air below the piston and thermostatic means forautomatically deenergizing the dryer responsive to a predetermined risein temperature of the air which has passed through the material to bedried.

JOHN W. DICKEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,523,509 Braemer Jan. 20, 19251,563,963 Byrd Dec. 1, 1925 1,567,710 Carroll Dec. 29, 1925 1,652,276Gregg Dec. 13, 1927 1,667,316 Hartman et a1 Apr. 24, 1926 1,671,442Noftzger May 29, 1928 1,672,274 Noftzger June 5, 1928 2,029,117 OtisJan. 28, 1936 2,050,625 Orr Aug. 11, 1936 2,050,626 Otis Aug. 11, 19362,174,583 Hudson Oct. 3, 1939 2,257,394 Niersbach Sept. 30, 19412,258,482 Carpenter Oct. 7, 1941

